Method of packaging merchandise and knockdown box therefor



D. NELSON May 14, 1929.

METHOD OF PACKAGING MERCHANDISE AND KNOCKDOWN BOX THEREFOR Filed July 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet czosEa 9: f aps May 14, 1929. NELSON 1,713,087

METHOD OF PACKAGING MERCHANDISE AND KNOCKDOWN BOX THEREFOR Filed July 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5% was, Jzzmdjezww Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL NELSON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MARSHALL FIELD & COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF PACKAGING MERCHANDISE AND KNOCKDOWN BOX THEREFOR.

Applicationfiled July 13, 1925.

This invention. relates to a procedure, as well as the instrumentalities used therein, for the packaging of merchandise to protect it from injury during carrying or shipping, and has for its object to provide a method of procedure,as well as instrumentalities which while enablin the )ackav- 7 7 O 0 ing of goods in all respects as securely and effectively as in procedures heretofore followed, will be very much more economical as to time consumed and the cost of containers employed.

The invention proceeds upon the principle of supplying containers in the form of blanks, cut from single sheets of appropriate material, or otherwise provided in inuses them; also employing an assembling frame conforming in horizontal section to the section of the COiIhftll'lGl to be formed from the blanks, and so arranging the lungmg or folding members of the blank, or at least some of them, as to cause them to be automatically folded into. position by the act of pressing the blank into the opening of the frame, thus necessitating a minimum of manipulation of side forming members, sustaining the upstanding sides of the co11- tamer by the assembling frame during the packing of the goods, and using the frame,

in at least some instances, to hold the cover flaps in closed position while adhesive strips or other securing means are being applied to seal the package.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred details of the procedure, as

well as preferred instrumentalities for performing the same, are shown by way of illustrat1on,

Figure 1. shows in plan view and m flat or knocked down conditlon a blank cut and scored. for convenient folding in the development of one form of container employed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a box.

Serial No. 43,153.

of the first, second, third, and fourth steps in the assembling, closing, and ultimate seal ing of the container.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the container alone in the condition in which it exists in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of an open box developed. from a blank similar to that shown in Figure 1, except for slight changes n dimensions, and having added thereto an inner reinforcing wall.

Figure 9 shows a blank corresponding generally to that shown in Figure 1, but of dimensions which develop a deeper container than that developed from the blank of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an assembling frame having within it a container developed from the blank of Figure 9 and with the side walls and laps of the blank stapled to secure them in the position which. they are caused. to assume by the assembling frame.

Referring to Figures 1 to 7 A represents a blank cut and scored to adaptit to produce, by folding, the b0ttom,sides, ends, cover, and cover flaps of a box for use in packaging merchandise. B represents an assembling frame for use in forcing the folding portions of the blank into their in tended relative positions, and which is of substantially less vertical dimension than that of the box to be formed. The blank A is composed of a bottom member 1, front wall 2, rear wall 3, and side walls 4 integrally united with but foldable into upstanding position from said bottom, and cover 5 hingedto the rear wall 3 and provided with closing flaps 6 and 7 which lap upon the vertical front and side walls of the body of the box in position to be secured thereto, as, for instance, by gluing strips 8 (Figures 6 and 7).

In addition "to its members already enumerated, the blank A also carries lapping tabs .9 integral with the front and rear ends of the side walls 4 and folding at right angles thereto in order to permit them to lie within and provide reinforces for the overlying end portions of the front and rear walls 2 and 3.

In using the blank A and frame B just described the blank, in flat condition, is grasped by its side walls t adiacent the trout tabs ll and. centered ever sea: eiinul I taneously with pressing said tabs inward,

and this is followed by depressing the front portion of the blank into the frame, as sug- 'gested in Figure 3, which has the effect of closing'up the front wall 2 in proper relation to'the side walls and its front tabs, and

m diat ly there t r. e r ar po t on of the side walls is grasped, the rear tabs 9 are pressed lnward, and the rear portion of the bottom 1 is pressed 1nto the frame, winch has the effect of raising the rear wall in proper position; and leaving the assembled containerv lying open, as shown in Figure 4,

' andready toreceive its contents. Upon completionof the packing, the cover 5 is closed,

side coverflapsb and end cover flap 7 are telescoped in between the frame and the walls-2 and 4 of the body of the box to retainthe closure and hold the flaps snugly to the walls of the box, as shown in Figure 5, and thereupon the box and frame are lI1- verted and the frame is slid toward the now I 7 and vwith front wall'2 rear wall 3, and

side walls 4, has its front,v rear, and side walls substantially reinforced by means of lining strips 10, 11 extending along the front and rear-of the body of the'box, bent at .the'corners of the box to bring their ends 10*, 11 into parallelism with the side walls of the box, and meeting at 12 intermediately of said sides. Such a form of reinforcement is garticularly desirable when the box is of cient dimension and intended for goods ofsufiicient weight to overtax the resistance 'to bending ofthe particular weight of paper board employed, and the reinforcing J liner is particularly effective in sustaining the box against crushing stresses imposed vertically thereon, for instance, by arranginga number of completed boxes in a pile. Preferably, the reinforcing lining strips are stapled, as suggested at 13, to the members of the box properover which they lap, and because of the use of these sta ales, the corner tabs9 are hinged to the front and rear walls rather than to the side walls, as

in Figures'l, 3,'and 4. It is to be understood, however, that the reinforcing liner 10, 11 can be used just as well in the box shown in Figure 4 as in that shown in Fig ure 8, such liner to be secured by staples 13 or other; equivalent means wherever used.

As'shown Figures 9 and 1 0, the invention may be applied to boxes ofsuch depth as to render unavailable the method of bolding the sides in assembled relation and scaling the cover by gluing strips passing over the cover flaps to the bottom of the box. In this lDSl'tlllCC, the reinforcing tabs will preferably be of greater horizontal dimension, and in the finished box each vertical wall will carry one tab so that the walls will all be reinforced alike. Thus, the blank 0,

shown in Figure 9, compriscs the bottom 1, front wall 2, rear wall 3, and the two end walls t, to each of which is hinged. one of the reinforcing tabs 9 while the cover 5, with its closing flaps 6, 7, will be hinged to the rear wall 3 as already described. In making a box from the blank C, an assembling frame D of substantially less vertical dimension than that of the box to be formed, will be employed, and the blank will be gathered in the frame very much as dcscribml in connection with Figures 1 to (3, except that the members which carry the lapping tabs, for instance, the right-hand side wall at carrying the tab 9 and the front wall 2 with its tab 9, will be grasped first and used to force the blank down into the frame as their tabs 9 are deflected, and then the rear wall 3 with its tab 9 and the left-hand side wall 4 with. its tab 9, will be grasped in completing introduction of the blank into the frame and completing assembly of the box. In order that the cover 5, with its flaps (5, 7, may be secured after removal of the box from the frame, if it should be desired to do so, the sides 2 4 are stapled to the reinforcing tabs 9, as suggested at 14, except where the tabs 9, carried by the lefthand side wall 4, laps over the rear wall 3 and is accessible to the stapling machine only with difliculty, and to take the place of a staple in that situation the blank is formed with a special tab 9 at the upper margin of the rear wall 3, which is of reduced dimension so that it can be cut out of the tab 9 on the left-hand side wall 4;; and this supplemental tab is lapped on the outside of the left-hand end wall 4 and receives the staple 14, as clearly shown in Figure 10.

A box constructed of the blank C and as sembled as described with reference to Figure 10, can have its cover and closing flaps secured by gluing strips, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, or by means of a cord or other flexible tying means, as may be desired.

I claim:

1. The improvement in the art of packaging merchandise, which consists in taking a'box forming blank having bottom, top, and wall forming members constructed for folding upon prearranged lines determinate of the horizontal dimensions of the box. introducing such blank into a frame with the wallsof the box sustained by said frame in upstanding position, the frame being of less vertical dimension than the box, and then Hit) packing the merchandise in the box While so sustained.

2. The improvement in the art of packaging goods, which consists in taking a box forming blank in flat form and consisting of a bottom member carrying Walls forming members and a cover member carrying closing flap members, said members being hinged together on prearranged lines which are definitive of the size of the box to be termed, forcing the bottom of the box into an assembling frame corresponding to the box in horizontal dimensions but of less vertical dimension than the box, packing the merchandise in the box, closing the cover and introducing the cover flaps between the frame and the box, sliding the frame on the be); to expose the free ends of the cover flaps, and then securing said flaps and re leasing the box from the frame.

The improvement in the art of packaging merchandise, which consists in taking a fiat be); blank consisting of a bottom and cover members having Wall and flap forming members united therewith on predetermined folding lines definitive of the dimensions of the box, the vertical dimension of the cover flaps being approximately that of the Wall torn'iing members, placing said blank over an assembling frame and forcing it there into to cause the Wall forming members to assume upstanding position, packing the box, closing the cover, introducing the flaps between the be and the frame, inverting the closed box and frame, sliding the frame away from the bottom oi. the box to expose the free ends of the flaps, and sealing said flaps to the box.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 2nd day of July, 1925.

DANIEL NELSON. 

